The Brotherhood
Chapter XX
By: X
We stared at each other for a few minutes. I kept waiting for Q’s stone face to break and for him to tell me he was only kidding, but that never happened. He just sat there with his hands interlocked and index fingers pressed to his bottom lip.
I finally decided to break the silence.
“Explain ‘checkmate’ to me,” I said as I leaned forward and placed my arms on the desk.
“Oh, I’m pretty sure you know exactly what it m
The Brotherhood
Chapter XIX
By X
It was a strange feeling being whisked away by Q in such a manner. I couldn’t even pretend to explain the experience. All I know is it felt like I was wrapped in warmth, and I was as light as a feather. The sensation didn’t last long. Before I knew it, the light surrounding us faded, and Q was standing in front of me, smiling. His arm was around my waist.
“We’re here,” he announced.
I looked around, confused. I wasn’t e
The Brotherhood
Chapter XVIII
By X
“The gods Naveyk and Skailer started taking a more personal interest in their creations. With the Ai’lea thrown into the mix, the bonds of love were formed. Suddenly we had families and children filling our great cities. For the first time since our inception, the gods saw us as more than just a means to an end. They finally realized their creations were capable of so much more than just war. Now the gods were looking at
The Brotherhood
Chapter XVII
By X
I sat down at Q’s desk, not knowing what to expect. How exactly was this going to work? Were there home movies involved? Maybe slides? God, anything but slides. The mere thought brought back horrible memories of sitting in the cellar with my grandfather, watching his life flash before my eyes on the projector. As those thoughts crossed my mind, Q chuckled behind me. I turned to look at him with narrow, dagger-like eyes, wondering abo
The Brotherhood
Chapter XVI
By X
It was beautiful. He was beautiful.
Tiny, marble-sized spheres of light undulated around his body. They pulsated, not quite flashing, yet not entirely steady in their luminescence. At times they moved in unison, a collective stream of glowing orbs swirling clockwise around Q’s new form. This organization would last mere seconds before the shimmering lights scatter, each following its playful path. They moved in all directions, sw
The Brotherhood
Chapter XV
By X
We just stood there. Confusion, shock, disbelief, and fear pierced us like the pointy end of a sword. It was a simple word…dismissed. Yet it cut more profound than any knife and burned hotter than any flame. I can’t tell you what I was thinking. I remember an empty void, a stillness I couldn’t escape in my mind. It was a bad dream from which I desperately wanted to wake.
“This can’t be happening….” I never actually heard the words